Even during stationary drills, like this one last Thursday at Simon Fraser, Clan junior receiver Rysen John is the picture of focus. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
Feature High School Football University Football

Rysen John: Checking in on the rise of the Simon Fraser Clan’s charismatic junior wide receiver

BURNABY — He boasts a given name which, in the musical hands of a Sunday morning gospel choir, could come out sounding pretty darn inspirational. Rysen… Rysen… Rysen.

UBC's Sean Einarsson (left), a former Canada West Rookie of the Year, returned to his former side Friday for its clash against reigning GNAC Player of the Year Matteo Polisi and the Simon Fraser Clan at Thunderbird Stadium. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
Feature University Men's Soccer

SFU vs. UBC: Preseason paths converge at soccer crossroads! Now, directions diverge in the quest for national title spoils

VANCOUVER — One has secured all seven of its conference’s preseason votes as the No. 1 team, a position which has become as familiar as its annual perch on the top branch of NCAA Div. 2 national title contenders. The other, its time-honoured traditional crosstown rival, holds a similar spot in the Canada West

Simon Fraser senior defensive lineman Rey Arcega, a Calgary native, will suit up for the fourth Clan head coach of his career Sept. 1 when the team opens its season at home to Oregon's Willamette Bearcats. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
Feature University Football

SFU Football: Six seasons on, senior red-shirt walk-on Rey Arcega toils to recapture the feeling of victory as Clan opens the Ford era

BURNABY — Have you only sipped the current flavour of Kool-Aid that is part-and-parcel of the new gridiron regime atop Burnaby Mountain?

Parker Simson is enjoying his first basketball-only off-season and that's good news for his new team, the Douglas College Royals. (Photo by Wilson Wong property of UBC athletics)
Feature University Men's Basketball

After CCAA national title-game appearance, Douglas men’s hoops looks to build new Royal family with UBC as first test

NEW WESTMINSTER — The Douglas College Royals may only be six months removed from their journey to the CCAA national men’s basketball championship final, yet the sport’s insuppressible nature of seasonal renewal is helping head coach Joe Enevoldson keep things very real.

Gritty Isaiah Solomon (left), pictured during his 2012-13 rookie season, is hoping to make a return to the UBC men's basketball roster after an extended absence. (File photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.com)
Feature University Men's Basketball

UBC men’s basketball: Asian international the newest ‘Bird, an Isaiah spotting, Shook joins coaching staff

VANCOUVER — The UBC Thunderbirds men’s basketball team may have had its highly-anticipated clash with NCAA Div. 1 UC Santa Barbara, scheduled for Friday at War Gym, cancelled by the visitors concerns with local air quality. That doesn’t mean, however, that in the dead of summer, there was any lack of news emanating from head coach […]

Fraser Valley Cascades' freshman midfielder Anthony Vega (left, 5), a New Westminster Secondary grad, is one of a gaggle of rookies populating the roster of the Abbotsford-based U Sports program this season. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters)
Feature University Men's Soccer

UFV men’s soccer 2018: Cascades undergo a true culture change as 15 pure freshmen form program’s new foundation

ABBOTSFORD — It takes a pretty honest architect to unroll the blueprint and wield the eraser when the plans for a newly-poured foundation have barely had the opportunity to settle.

Swimmer Ruishen Yu of Surrey's Fraser Heights Secondary begins his university sports career in the fall with the UBC Thunderbirds. (Photo by Richard Lam property of UBC athletics)
Feature High School University

Destination: University! Varsity Letters’ 2018 BC Recruits List charts path of 986 student-athletes in 18 different sports

LANGLEY — We put a cap-and-gown finish to 2018’s B.C. Recruits List Week here at VarsityLetters by presenting our entire list today, with baseball, softball, rowing, field hockey, hockey, golf, lacrosse, rugby, swimming, tennis, fencing and wrestling. If you know of names we’ve missed, let us know! Full instructions are below and we will update throughout […]

Taryn O'Neill (right) of George Elliott, and New Westminster's Grace Fetherstonhaugh will embark on NCAA careers this fall at Villanova and Oregon State respectively. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
Feature High School Cross Country High School Track & Field

Varsity Letters’ B.C. Recruits List 2018: Where 69 girls and boys track & field and XC prospects are headed this coming season

LANGLEY — In terms of the mark B.C.’s graduating Class of 2018 student-athletes made, both on the trails and especially on the track this season, it’s easy to call it one of the province’s most elite in recent memory.

This past season's Oct. 21 clash in Surrey between Holy Cross (red) and visiting Windsor showcased quarterback recruits for both SFU (Nate Hunt, with ball) and UBC (Ryan Baker, 8). (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
Feature High School Football University Football

Varsity Letters’ B.C. Recruits List 2018: Where 111 football prospects are headed this coming season

LANGLEY — Welcome to Day 2 of B.C. Recruits List Week here at Varsity Letters. As we mentioned yesterday, we’ll be previewing a sport a day through this week with the entire list set for Sunday publication. Wednesday is football day!